Big Dog Quickly Becomes Fans' Pet

Robinson's Debut No Dazzler, But Crowd Loves Him

November 07, 1994|By Sam Smith, Tribune Pro Basketball Writer.

MILWAUKEE — It took almost two minutes before they would sit down and stop cheering Saturday night, those supposedly conservative, full-of-old-fashioned-values, hard-working folks from the north who enjoy their beer, brats, a hard day's work and a few bucks as a reward.

The lengthy ovation was for the kid from Gary, Ind., Glenn "Big Dog" Robinson, who stayed home from work with the Milwaukee Bucks for a month while it was debated whether he should be guaranteed $100 million for shooting basketballs for the next 10 years, or perhaps just $60 million.

And the fans barely had time to wipe the cheesy nacho dip off their seats before Robinson declared his intentions, if not his ability.

Curling around a screen after watching coach Mike Dunleavy hastily draw the play on his clipboard, Robinson shot the first ball he ever touched as an NBA player. It glanced off the side of the rim and was retrieved by the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Bucks rallied to win 97-96, thanks more to a gangly free-agent forward named Marty Conlon than to Robinson, who ended his first night in the NBA with eight points, four rebounds and five turnovers in 13 minutes on the court.

So why, after missing all of training camp and the exhibition season, never practicing with the team and not signing his contract until about two hours before the Bucks' home opener, would Robinson shoot the first time he touched the ball?

"I was open," Robinson offered matter-of-factly.

And so began the NBA career of the young man for whom some in the NBA have not only predicted stardom but also have said already ranks with the greats of the game.

The Bucks didn't get that much for their estimated $68 million over 10 years.

"I feel I can be as good as I want to be," Robinson said after Saturday's game. "But I'm not saying I'm going to live up to everything people have said about me. I take it as a compliment, but I know I have a lot to prove."

That started Sunday for Robinson and the Central Division-leading Bucks (2-0), whose next game is Thursday night at Cleveland.

"With these next four days, I know I'll do a better job in my next game," Robinson said. "This was my first NBA game, something I've always dreamed about.

"But this is a tough league," said Robinson, who spoke mostly in a dry monotone and showed little emotion, clashing with the snarling bulldog tattooed on his chest.

"I know everyone in the NBA can score and it will be tough guarding those guys who are All-Americans like me and have the same athletic ability I have."

The Bucks hope that's not the case.

Robinson, about 6 feet 7 inches and seemingly best suited for small forward, showed early that, despite the layoff, he'll score.

"I'm not going to try to go out and score 30," said the college player of the year, who averaged 30.3 points last season at Purdue. "There are guys here established longer than I am, and I'll be trying to get the ball to guys scoring, like Johnny Newman and Vin Baker, who's doing a great job inside."

Robinson nevertheless showed his inclination early.

The second time the Bucks had possession when he entered the game in the second quarter, he drove, was fouled and made one of two free throws. And on their fifth possession of the quarter, he floated in for an easy finger roll.

In six minutes, he had five points. But when he returned in the third quarter, he clearly was winded and committed several turnovers, once trying an over-the-shoulder pass when double-teamed.

It's also clear he'll get attention. The Lakers double-teamed him and isolated on him to take advantage of his slow defensive reactions.

"I can't say I was not satisfied with my performance because we won the game," Robinson said. "It was my first NBA game, and we won. That makes it a night to remember."

- - -

Just before the kid who's supposed to be the best player in Milwaukee since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was about to play in his first game, Bucks financial vice president John Steinmiller was talking with some friends in the press room.

He reached into his pocket for something, and a dollar bill floated out to the floor.

"You guys sure throw money around up here," someone offered.

Steinmiller smiled.

"That's all I have left," he said.

Glenn Robinson's contract was big news here.

The Milwaukee Journal led its Thursday front page with the $68 million in a type size that newspaper veterans say ranks second only to the newspaper's headline to announce the end of World War I.

World War II, Vietnam and Nixon fell behind.

So Robinson became something of the poster boy for 1994 athletic greed.

That's unfair in some respects because Robinson has remained loyal to reeling Gary, refusing to abandon his hometown or his friends as his status and bank account grow.

Robinson's agent, Charles Tucker, said the furor will soon fade.

"In another month, or maybe after the season, Shaq (O'Neal) is going to sign a $150 million contract, and in about 10 days you'll see Alonzo Mourning sign for nine years for $10 million a year, and then you reporters will have something else to write about," Tucker said.

Robinson says none of that will concern him.

"Now that the negotiations and all that stuff is over with, I'm just going to be a person greedy about winning games," Robinson said. "Salaries have been going up every year, and people have been speculating about this $100 million since I went to Purdue. I was just the wrong person at the wrong time coming out for people to be thinking that.

"But that (record contract) was not my goal. My goal is to be rookie of the year, and if I don't make that, to help the team win more games than last year. If we do, I'll be satisfied.

"No matter how much money anyone makes, it all boils down to wanting to play and not lose games. So I'm anxious to get going."